Patch applying machine



April 23, 1940. A. NovlcK PATCH APPLYING MACHINE Filed July l, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 23, 1940. A. NovscK PATCH APPL'ING MACHINE Filed July 1, 1957 4 Sheets-Shet 2 April 23, 1940- A. Novum( 2,397,827

PATCH LPFLYING MACHINE Filed July l, 1937 A 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.. Abm/1am NOV/ck. BY .@m/A'LM ATTORNEYS April 23, 1940- K A. NovlcK 2,397,827

PATCH APPLYING MACHINE Filed July l, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR3 AbrahamA/owck.

ATMUVEYS Patented 'Apr. 23, 1940 yUNITED STATES PATCH APPLYING MACHINE Abraham Novick, Flushing, N. Y., assignor to F. L. Smithe Machine Go., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 1, 1937, Serial No.l 151,463

12 Claims.

, This invention relates to a machine for applying to the walls of envelopes attachments of various sorts, such as clasp fasteners of the type illustrated in Letters Patent No. 1,827,901, issued to me on October 20, 1931, these fasteners being each formedfout of a single piece of sheet metal of approximately cruciform shape, comprising elongated tongues extending in opposite directions fro-m a central web, with attaching lobes extending lin opposite'directions from the same web, preferably at right angles to the major axis defined by the tongues, and having an attachment portion or, portions rivetedthrough the ply or plies of wall material at the region over which the cover-nap isto be folded.

; Machines are known for attaching such fasteners tor the backwalls of envelopes, so disposed that when the tongues `are bent up out of the plane of the envelope toward each other, they maybe passed through a holer in the cover-nap and then bent back over the margins at opposite sides of the hole, to retain the cover-flap in closed position.

f The present invention constitutes an improvement-upon this type of machine, and may be embodied in various machines of the type, as for example, such a machine as that disclosed and. claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 142,393, parts of which are hereinafter illustrated in somewhat schematic form to aid in the understanding of the prevent invention.

In the machine of the present invention,lmeans are provided, preferably-as disclosed in said co'v pending application Serial No.14`2,393, for clinch-v ing Athe clasp fastener to the envelope body, and for applying a patch to the cover-hap, and peralreadyclinched attachment portion of the clasp (o1. sia-e1) patch has the advantage over an envelope provided with a fastener which isl simply squashed, but not provided with a protective patch and therefore not embedded betweenA adjacent. layers of material, that when the envelopes are stacked, 5V there is lesstendency for the fasteners to mark the contiguous surfaces of adjacent envelopes in the stack; and also the stackcan be made'more compact and even. y A cognate object of the'present invention is to provide such a patch which will servefto protect the goods inside the envelope from damage or Wear or marking by the fastener; andthis is particularly important in the case of goods made of imsy material, such as stockings, which, if they are permitted to hook on to the fastener prongs, will develop runs during the operation of inserting them, vor whensubjected to abrasion ,by the rough upset fastenerparts when the envelope is carried by a purchaser, or is in transit through the: mails..

The patch helps also to reinforce the envelope walls, by reason ofthe sticking of the patch to the' envelope material, and it "resists the tearing strain on the material, thus aiding to hold the material together.

Another'object. of the invention is to provide a machine of the above type with mechanism,in cluding an anvil, to which the adhesive patch n sheet first transferred, and is attached temporarily thereto; andby which anvil the patch is carried, with its wet, gummy sidepresented upl Wardly, into the open end of the envelope, and is there disposed in suitable position for completion of the operation of squashing and protecting the fastener.

Other objects and advantagesv of the invention `forming the subject of the present application will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment of the invention selected for illustration and description progresses. In the accompanying drawings, like character of reference have been applied tocorresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings, in which: L Y A Fig. 1 is a View of a schematic character in vertical sectional elevation, of a fastener-applying machine in the construction of which the present invention has been embodied; 5'0 Fig. 2 is a plan View of a completed envelope with a fastener and protective patches applied thereto by the mechanism illustrated in-` Figs. 1A and 3; .n f Eig. 3 isa View in plan, ofasehematic charg5 acter, showing part of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a schematic character, showing in plan` certain of the other operating parts illustrated in Fig. 1; this figure being complemental to the showing of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, detail view in horizontal section, taken on the line. 5 5, of Fig. 7, illustratingthe cooperating parts associated with the operation of severing from a stock strip a patch blank and delivering it to the anvil plate by which it is to be transferred to a patch-applying station and there ainxed in protective relation over the area of the inner envelope wall occupied by a squashed fastener; y

Fig, 6 is a fragmentary detail view in plan `of the anvil, showing the means by which a suitable protective patch is supported on the anvil for introduction to the open end of an envelope;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, detail view in vertical, longitudinal section illustrating typical mechanisrn for applying a reinforcement patch, this view being taken on the line l--l of Fig. 5;

. Fig. -8 is a Vertical, sectional view, similar to Fig. '7, taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, detail view in plan on an enlarged scale, of the fastener element and associated fastener means, after completionl of the operation by which the fastener and its patch have been applied;

Fig. 10 is a View in transverse section on the line illl0 of Fig. 9.`

In a now-preferred embodiment of the invention selected for illustration andv description, referring first to Figs. 1, 3'- and 4, the parts designated by the reference characters B' and E" are endless belts constituting a Vconveyor around which the means for performing Vthe operations which characterize the present invention are organized. This belt conveyor runs upon pulleys 4I and 42, the latter of which is mounted on a countershaft 43, driven by' the.. main' driving shaft l.`through bevel gears M and 45.

At S is shown a means for supplying to the conveyor a series of envelopes E, derived successively from a stack S thereof, supported suitably by the adjustable plates l l and from theV bottom of which each envelope whichv at any time constitutes the lowermost component of the stack is transferred to the conveyor belts B', B", by the transfer mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3.

Inthe instance illustrated, the transfer mechanism comprises a rotor device made up of two rotaryelements R' and R", spaced apart. on the shaft 3K1, and each provided with a set of gripper members G, each of which is mounted pivotally upon the periphery of one of the rotor elements, upon which it can be oscillated, asbya cam 26, to grip the free or leading end I2 ofthe then lowermost blank, when the latter has been separated from the stack, as indicated in Fig. 1. For further details of the mechanism, reference may be had to my aforesaid co-pending applical scription, and it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that as the grippers G draw each envelope E around the peripheryof the rotor elements B', B" the leading end I2 of the envelope will soon be entrained between` the rotor elements R', R and the conveyor belts B', B", whereupon the suction will be cut' off in known fashion by suitable means. (not shown).

Movementof the beltsI 1B and "B" in the direction of the arrow`(Fig. 1) carries with them the envelope just received from the' rotors, and

with the leading edge (bottom) |2- of an` envelope which is thereby ypositioned suitably for the. performance thereon of a patch-applying operation and a patch perforating operatioirat. asuitable station, as at A, (see Fig. 1')`,:`and concurrently for the performance of a fastener-applying. operation, as at the station designated geirerally by the reference characterA. No description of these operationsv in detail `needbe made herein, inasmuch as'y they are merely illustrative of a variety of such attachment or other operations;v and a full description of the preferred; form of mechanism by which they may be effected is to be found in my co-pending application Serial No. 142,393, to which reference hasI al.- ready been made. y Y .l 1

It will therefor-e be. sufficient to say that they envelope is first fed beneath the anvil V up tothe point of its arrest by thev fingers 53,l which have been raised into the path of the envelope by the action of a lever tension spring 59, operating. on l a crank 59x, which tends to bias the crank coun-l ter-clockwise, lifting the link L 'oir which is mounted the block 55 that' carries the fingers 53. A crank 6 l on the shaft H! is connected lby a link Le with a cam lever 62 mounted lpivotallyron. an

arm 63 Whichhas a follower 64 engaged with av cam 65 upon'the counter-shaft Ix, and thisv cam acts to retract the fingers 53 positively to theirlower position shown in full-lines in Fig. 1.

Fasteners are supplied to the fastener-applying station A through aA chutev C, as described in* my co-pending application, Serial No; 142,393,

and are clinched in the usual, or any 'suitablemanner. Patch strip S is advanced inthe manner described in said application and -is moistened `at 131x, being fed by rollsf itl, and 132' through a trough 16.5 to the station A", where the strip is severed suitably, it is pressed dow-n upon the flap, and perforated, all as described. in said application, or in any suitable manner after th-e anvil V' has been advanced from the position shown in full lines in lFig.-3, toa position in which it is aligned with the plunger P3, and in which it clears the patch-applying plungery '128, rand enters the open end rI3 of the envelope.

Suitable means are provided, as 'at v82, Fig. 3, to cause adequate opening of the walls ofl the envelope, the nger 82 being raised momentarily to buckle the Walls and then being retracted positively by the action of a lever 86 rocked for that purpose by the cam C"l upon the drivingshaft l.

' 'I'he advance and retractionbf the anvil Y 75'! action of a cam C3'upon the countershaft Ix,

engaged with a follower |01 carried by a pitman |04 connected to the pitman |04. Y

This mechanism is all fully described in my aforesaid co-pending application.

The drawings of the present application illustrate, in somewhat schematic form, only enoughof the operating parts to show how the various steps involved in the attachment of each clasp fastener to its envelope are performed successivel ly in pursuance of the present invention, this attachingoperation comprising several steps, of

which the preliminary step, which for the sake of brevity, is herein termed the clinching step, has been performed at the station A as already described.

A final, or squashing step, is performed at the station A3, the reference character T serving to designate the setting or squashing tool, which is used to perform the squashing operation.

Each envelope, and the pair of carrier'belts, as B and B", by which theenvelopes are advanced, is supported against the action of the various tools, such as plunger P2, plunger |28, plunger P3, plunger T, etc., by suitable devices, which will be termed anvils respectively, including stationary anvils A and A3,', at the clinching and squashing stations respectively and moveable anvil plates V and V4 which are connected by their respective shanks V' to a link Vx which moves the anvil plates V and V4 simultaneously from the full line position shown in Fig. 4, to an advanced position in which each anvil rests below one of the plungers. f It is to be noted particularly that the envelopes are fed in the direction of the major axis, and

that the shape and feed of the anvil .plates is `so designed that the anvil plates are introduced into the open ends of the envelopes by a movement parallel with the direction of travel thereof.

When in an advanced position, ahead of the position of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, the anvil head-plate V, stands .clear of the thrust of the punching tool P2 as it forms the hole 9 in the envelope closing flap I0 (see Fig. 2), and in the reinforcement patch P which is set in adhered position on the flap as hereinbefore described. The thrust of the punch is met by a suitably disposed part of the main anvil VB.

The bar V (see Fig. 3) is moved in a righthand direction from its full-line position to cause the anvil head-plate V to enter the open end of the envelope, its entrance being facilitated by the action .of a finger 82, which when raised, as by the suitable means, not shown, causes separation of the overlapping rearwalls e and e of the envelope, so that ample clearance is provided `for entrance of the anvil V at the region where the overlapped plies are ready to be transxed by the fasteners.

After the fastener has been transferred from the chute C by descent of the tool P3 the stops A53 are depressed by the movement in right hand direction of the link LZ, and the envelope E is released for further advancement by the belts B' l and B" which carry the envelope forward until its bottom edge |2 is arrested by a pair of stops 54 (see Fig. 1), which are identical in all essential respects with the stops 53, being so spaced from the latter that when the envelope is so arrested by the stops 54, the fastener F' which has been clinched in place by the punch P3 against the anvils V V2, is disposed in correct alignment with the squashing tool T" over the stationary anvil V3,

While the envelope has been thus brought to the squashing station, another envelope has been fed to the clinching station A', and at the same time that ther link |02 is moved in right-hand direction to insert the anvil headplate V in the envelope at the clinching station, it acts, through a link |02rc, Figs. 3 and 4, to insert the anvil head-plate V4 into the rear end of the envelope occupying the squashing station, this end of the last-named envelope being opened up `for insertion of the anvil V4 by a finger 82.1,', Fig. 4, which operates upon the envelope walls in repetition of the opening step already described with reference to the similar parts hereinbefore disclosed.

In pursuance of a further object of the present invention, means are provided to apply to the inner wall 4B of the envelope, (see Figs. 2, 9 and l0) a patch PX which will completely cover the inner end Gx of the clasp fastener element, whatever be its character, and will entirely prevent contact therewith by the contents of the envelope, so that the user is assured of optimum safety from injury to the most delicate fabrics and surfaces by any part of thefastener strucend PX of the patch strip over the anvil V4 (see Fig. '7) when it is in its position of Figs. 1, 3 and l En route from the supply roll W3, the previously -gummed upper face `of the strip WX is remoistened by a roll 222 which derives `rnoistening fluid from a supply thereof in a tank M in known fashion, and the moistened, gummed strip is fed by rolls I3|:r and |321: over a stationary shear member |393: (see Fig. 7), into proximity to the path of the anvil plate V4, beneath the tool |28, |283: used for cutting off the patch sheet, and delivering it to the said anvil plate V4.

In pursuance of the invention, use is made of the forward movement of the anvil head-plate V4 to effect the disposition of the patch sheet PX in suitable alignment with the already clinched fastener I, (see Fig. l0) below the squashing tool A3. To insure retention of the. patch sheet P3 on the anvil head plate V4 the latter is provided with ledges 223, each carried by a leafspring LS fixed at one end of a recess 224 in the lower face of the anvil head-plate V4, each ledge being biased by its spring, as shown in Figs. 6, '7 and 8, into an upper position which insures the embracement of the patch-sheet by the ledges, but permits retirement of the ledges un- K clasp fastener, firmly secured thereto' in accurate alignment with the concurrently formed hole 9 inthe ap; and protective patches, P and PX respectively, havebeen formed and applied in permanently adhered position to the appropriate Walls of the envelope, the patch PX completely covering the squashed inner end of the fastener.

I have described What I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not Wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a machine for applying clasp fasteners to envelopes of the class described; means for supporting a supply of envelopes; means for supporting a supply of fasteners; mechanism disposed at an applyingy station for riveting or vclinching said fasteners to the bodies of said envelopes individually; mechanism for advancing said envelopes seriatirn. from said supply thereof to. the applyingv station; and mechanism for pressing a patch into adhesive engagement with said envelope-body, covering the clinched end of said fastener.

2. In a machine for applying clasp fasteners to envelopes of the class described; means for supporting ka supply of envelopes; means for supporting a supply of fasteners; mechanism disposed at an applying station for riveting or clinching said fasteners to the bodies of said envelopes individually; mechanism for advancing said envelopes seriatim from said supply thereof to the applying station; and mechanism for pressing a patch into adhesive engagement with said envelope-body, covering the clinched end of said fastener, said last-named mechanism being adapted to embed said clinched fastener part into 'the contiguous faces of the patch and envelope Wall. v

3. A machine for applying clasp fasteners to envelopes as claimed in claim l, in which means are provided to present each envelope in turn at a station where a fastener blank is fed thereto and clinched, and' to a station Where said clinched fastener is squashed'.

4. A machine for applying clasp fasteners to envelopes as claimed in claim l, in which means are pro-vided to present each envelope in turn at a station Where a fastener blank is fed thereto and clinched, and to a station where said clinched fastener is squashed, said envelope movements respectively being performed in the general direction of travel of the envelopes.

5. A machine for applying clasp fasteners to envelopes as claimed in claim l, in Which means are provided to present each envelope in turn at a station Where a fastener blank is fed thereto and clinched, and to a station where said clinched fastener is squashed, and in which a protective patch is applied to the exposed inner end of said squashed fastener.

6. In a machine for applying clasp fasteners to envelopes of the class described, means for supporting a supply of envelopes; meansfor supporting a supply of clasp fasteners of the type having tongues; a mechanism for riveting said fasteners to the bodies of said envelopes seriatim; mechanism for transferring said envelopes from said supply thereof to the attaching station and to deliver them therefrom to feed said envelopes with the fasteners attached; and means for actuating said transfer mechanism and said fastener-applying mechanism in timed relation; said machine being further characterized by having means to adhere to each ap a protective patch, and means acting concurrently to perforate the flap so reinforced,` to provide a holey to receive said fastener tongues; also by means to apply a protective patch to the riveted fastener and to imbed the upset ends of the riveted fastener in contiguous surface of the patch and envelope material respectively. i

7. In a machine for applying clasp fasteners to envelopes of the class described, means for supporting a supply of envelopes; means for supporting a supply of fasteners; a mechanism for attaching said fasteners to said envelopes seriatim; mechanism for transferring said envelopes from said supply thereof to the attaching station and to deliver them therefrom to feed said envelopes with the fasteners attached, means for actuating said transfer mechanism and said fastener-applying mechanism in timed relation; said fastener-applying mechanism including a fastener-clinching station and a fastener squashing station, each comprising a main anvil, a plunger toolv reciprocable relatively' thereto, and a movable anvil reciproca-ble to and from a position intermediate said main anvil and said plunger, at each of said stations.

8. A machine for applying clasp-fastenersito'vV envelopes as claimed in claim 7, in which means are provided, at the squashing station for applying a patchr to the inner end of said squashed eyelet, at the time of squashing.

9. A machine for applying clasp-fasteners to envelopes as claimed in claim '7, in which means are provided at the squashing station for applying patch` to. the inner end of said squashed eyelet, at the time of squashing, said means comprising a support for a supply of gummed patch strip, means to remoisteny and feed the leading end of said strip into intersecting relation with the path of travel of the envelopes, means to cut off a patch sheet, and means to transfer said patch sheet into the envelope preliminary to the squashing operation.

10. A machine for applying clasp-fastenersy to envelopes as claimed in claim 7, in which means are provided .at the squashing station for applying a patch to the inner end of said squashed eyelet, at the time of squashing, said means coniprising a support for a supply of gummed patch strip, means, to remoisten and feed the leading end of said strip into intersecting relation with the path of travel of the envelope, means to cut off a patch sheet, and means to transfer said patch sheet into the envelope preliminary to the squashing operation, said last-named means being, constituted by a part of the anvil used in the squashing mechanism.

1l. In a machine for applying clasp fasteners to envelopes of the class described, means for supporting a. supply of envelopes; means for sup. porting a supply of clasp fasteners of the type having tongues; a mechanism for rivetting said fasteners to the bodies of said envelopes` seriatim; mechanism for transferring said envelopes from said supply thereof to the attaching station and to deliver them therefrom to feed said envelopes With the fasteners attached; and means for actuating said transfer mechanism and said fastener-applying mechanism in timed relation; said machine being further characterized by having means to adhere to each ap a protective patch, and means acting concurrently to perforate the Hap so reinforced, a hole to receive said fastener tongues; also by `means to apply a protective patch` to the riveted fasprising a support for a supply of gummed patch strip, means to remoisten and feed .the leading end of said strip into intersecting relation with the path of travel of the envelope, means to cut off a patch sheet, and means to transfer said patch sheet into the envelope preliminary vto the squashing operation, said last-named means being constituted by a part of the anvil headplate of the squashing mechanism, the latter having a retaining projection and means to bias 10 said projection into retentive position, yieldingly.

ABRAHAM NOVICK. 

